I Was Just Going To Dance Class!
by Weenz
Summary: The Lin Kuei is just a different part of the same story, and it deals with extreme violence and torture. So please don't be mad if you get offended by it, cuz i'm warnin ya!
1. Part One

I Was Just Going to Dance Class!  
Part One  
  
  
"Cherie? Are you home?" Brianna heard her boyfriend's accented voice echo through her kitchen as he entered. "I'm in the living room sweets," she answered.   
  
Pierre made his way to the living room with the dozen roses he had bought for Brianna. "Aww...Pierre, you didn't have to get me roses," she said affectionately. "I wanted to Cherie," he said, giving her a deep, passionate kiss. Brianna smiled.   
  
"Mmm," she said quietly, her eyes still closed. She shot them open suddenly. "What time is it?" she asked him frantically. "It is only 5 o' clock. Why?" he asked her, a little annoyed that she wasn't paying much attention to him. "Oh, no. I'm late!" she said quickly gathering some of her things up and putting them in her purse. "What are you late for?" he inquired, following her around the room. "I have to go to my dance class. It started at 4:45!" she exclaimed.   
  
"Baby, I'll be back in two hours. I'll make dinner when I get home, ok?" she called as shut the door and didn't give Pierre time to answer back. "Oui," he answered to himself sadly. He was upset that he didn't get much time with his girlfriend any more. Sighing he sat down on their couch and watched some TV.   
  
~*~*~In The Car~*~*~  
  
"Shit!" Brianna yelled as she pulled into the bumper to bumper traffic. Looking around she spotted a narrow side street about two cars ahead of her. She pulled along side the shoulder of the road and turned down there. "I am so late," she thought out loud. Then suddenly, Brianna was met with a bright flash of blinding light and her own scream.   
  
Still screaming, it took Brianna realize that she was driving right into a wall, and she slammed on her brakes just in time. Shaken up, she stared at her steering wheel…and then out at her surroundings.   
  
"What the hell?" she asked herself as she looked around. She noticed that she was in a large room that had a black marble floor with matching pillars. The carvings around looked very Gothic and seemed like they belonged in a movie or something. Hesitantly, she opened her car door and slowly stepped out.   
  
"Hello?" she greeted and her voice echoed off of the walls. Out of nowhere, she was met with four men and two women. "What do you want?" one of the women asked sternly. "Um…nothing much. I just want to know where I am…" Brianna asked bewildered. She looked at the one guy that was wearing a big hat. She gasped as she saw lightening flash across his eyes. Brianna stood up and she watched as all of the people in the room tensed up.   
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa…calm down. I'm not here to piss any one off," she reacted. Holding her one hand up she slowly reached into the car and took out her purse. "My name's Brianna," she introduced herself putting her bag on her shoulder. "I ain't gonna hurt you guys, ok? I don't think I really could," she answered giving a half smile. She watched, as the Lightening Man seemed to give a silent signal to the others that she was no harm to them.   
  
"I am Rayden," he told her. "You come from Earth?" he asked her in a tone that seemed like he already knew the answer. "Yeah…Jersey…" she said in a tone that obviously showed her confused reaction to the question. Her worried eyes traveled over to the other people. There was the woman who asked what she wanted. She was very pretty with long dark brown hair and eyes to match. She wore a blue outfit that Brianna thought kicked major ass. Then there was the other woman who also was very pretty. She looked like a stereotypical all-American girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. Her complexion was very pale and she was wearing what seemed to be out-of-place army camouflage out fit. Along side of her was a man with black hair and almond shaped brown eyes. He wasn't wearing a shirt, and had black baggy silk pants on. Then there was another man who was very handsome. He had short brown hair and a white beater on. He also wore baggy jeans. Then there was the last man, whom Brianna found to be very attractive. He had short black hair and matching eyes. Over his one eye was a long scar, which gave him a rough edge. He was wearing a weird blue and black ninja thing that confused Brianna even more.   
  
"I am Liu Kang," the shirtless man introduced himself. The other introduced themselves as Kitana, Sonya, Johnny Cage, and Sub-Zero. "So where exactly am I?" Brianna pondered again. "You're not on Earth anymore, that's for sure," Rayden smiled. "What?" she asked him, like he was crazy. "I sent you into our realm," he explained. "I need you to fight with us," he went on.  
  
"Look, buddy, I can't fight. And I don't know what planet you guys are on, but I need to get to my dance class, and then I need to get back home to make myself dinner and then curl up on the couch and go to sleep. So if you could please be so kind as to lead me to a parking garage or something, and let me know a way back to my house back in Jersey, that would be great," she said as polite as possible. "Parking garage?" Sub-Zero asked, confused.   
  
"Haha, oh Brianna. You've much to learn," Rayden laughed and led her out of the room.   
  
Rayden walked in front, Kitana and Liu Kang walked side-by-side behind him, Sonya and Johnny walked behind them and Sub-Zero and Brianna walked behind them. They were on a narrow bridge, and when Brianna looked down she saw that the drop on a pit of spikes was very far down. Being afraid of heights and getting dizzy and scared from looking down, she grabbed Sub-Zero's arm quickly. Looking up, she noticed how tall he was. He must have been seven feet tall! He met her gaze with a cold stare that showed no sense of caring or anything. "Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized, feeling embarrassed. Sub-Zero didn't say anything, just turned his head back forward again. What's his problem? Brianna wondered, and tried not to look down again.   
  
Next, Brianna found herself inside a small corridor that was winding down. After that she came to a hallway that had rooms on either side. The only light came from torches that were light on the side of the walls. Rayden led them into a room that was complete with a bed, a mirror, a table, and a chair. Brianna was marveled at the beautiful canopy bed that had red satin sheets and sheer red material for the canopy. "This will be your room," Rayden told her. "Your training will begin in two days time. I hope you have a restful evening," he smiled and turned away. Kitana, Sonya and Liu Kang followed him out the door. Brianna looked up at Sub-Zero and tried to give him a warm smile with a bit of flirtatiousness in it. He just gave his cold stare right back at her. Every time he looked into her eyes, it seemed to chill her to the bone. Then, he just turned around and left. "Don't worry about Zero," Johnny comforted her. "He's just not the friendly of a guy. Give him time and he'll come around." With that, Johnny turned on his heel and left.  
  
"Well this has been a splendid dream," Brianna told herself sarcastically after the wooden door closed behind Johnny. "I'll just fall asleep and wake up next to Pierre in our bed," she yawned. She took her shoes and socks off, put her purse on the table, crawled into bed and fell fast asleep. 


	2. Part Two

I Was Just Going to Dance Class!  
Part 2  
  
  
"Wake up!" Brianna's sleep was interrupted by a harsh whisper. 'What?" she said groggily. "Pierre?" she then asked hopefully. "No," he said, his voice softening as he began to feel sorry for her. She opened her eyes fully and started to recognize the figure in front of her. She looked down and noticed a fireplace for the first time. He had lit a fire in it, knowing that his very presence in the room would drop the temperature drastically.  
  
"How did you sleep?" Sub-Zero asked her quietly. He felt bad for being mean to her the day before. "Where am I?" she asked him. "In your room," he told her. "Oh, yeah. The ninja palace place," she muttered.  
  
"I brought you some breakfast," he told her in what she guessed was a cheery voice. He walked over to the table and picked up a tray, brought it over to the bed and placed it on her lap.   
  
"Your training begins tomorrow," he reminded her. "What training?" she asked him as she picked up her purse and pulled a brush out of it. "Your training to become a fighter," he told her in a tone that said Duh. "Wait a minute. I may be tough, but I don't fight."  
  
"If Rayden says you must fight, then you must fight," Sub-Zero insisted. "Who exactly are we fighting?" "Shang Tsung and his warriors," he replied with bitterness in his voice.   
  
Brianna was tired of asking questions at the moment, so she continued to eat her soup and brush her hair.   
  
"How do I get home?" Brianna asked him. "You don't get to go home. This is your home," he said, trying to comfort her. He watched as tears started to form in her eyes. "But…can't I go back the way I came here?" her voice was getting desperate. Sub-Zero sighed. "You don't understand," shed told him, her voice getting stronger and wiping away a tear. "I have to go home. I have my friends and my family waiting for me. I can't stay here!" she sobbed on her last sentence. Not knowing what to do, Sub-Zero hesitantly put his arm around her as the weeping figure cried into his chest.   
  
"Here," he said to her. 'Watch this," he smiled. He stood up and got into a fighting pose and Brianna noticed small snowflakes start to form in his hand. Her eyes grew wide as he shot his hand out and frost flew across the room. It formed into a large, dolphin-shaped ice sculpture. Brianna stared at the sculpture, then at Sub-Zero. "What…?" she trailed off, confused. "It's a dolphin," he said proudly.   
  
"Okay…I'm gonna go take a shower now," she said slowly. "I'll go get you some towels," Sub-Zero offered kindly. He returned with a stack of towels in his arms. She walked up to him slowly. Back home she was very tall, about 5'10". Now she was dwarfed by Sub-Zero's nearly 7-foot tall size. "Thanks," she took the towels from him. For a moment their hands touched. Sub-Zero felt as though Brianna's touch melted all the ice inside his body, whereas Brianna felt a shock of freezing cold air whisk through her body. They looked into each other's eyes for a split second, and then a frosty blue light seemed to glow from Sub-Zero's pupils. "Sorry," she apologized as she turned her red face to the floor. Brianna watched as Sub-Zero stepped back a few steps, bowed slightly, and silently left the room.  
  
"What the hell am I going to do with an 8-foot dolphin made out of ice?" she asked out loud as she wrapped a towel around the base of it. 


	3. Part Three

I Was Just Going to Dance Class!  
Part Three  
  
  
What was that all about? Sub-Zero asked himself. I've never had that happen to me before.  
  
Meanwhile…  
  
Brianna was in her shower, and thinking about her situation. Sighing, she turned the water off. She stepped out and wrapped a towel around her body and stepped back into her room.   
  
She gasped as a gloved hand wrapped itself around her mouth. A deep voice instructed her to get changed and gather her things. She did so, and as she turned around she noticed that the man wore the same thing or Sub-Zero, only yellow instead of blue. She also noticed he wore a matching mask. But the most intimidating part about him was his eyes. They were all white. No pupil. No color. Just white.   
  
The kidnapper motioned for her to follow him in the halls. Suddenly they heard footsteps, and the kidnapper slammed himself and Brianna against the wall. "Get off me!" Brianna screamed. The walking footsteps were now running. The kidnapper grabbed Brianna by the throat in a steel grip. "Sub-Zero!" Brianna choked out pathetically. "That fool cannot save you!" he hissed. Frantically, Brianna her foot up and kicked him in the groin. He let go of her neck and doubled over. Brianna gave him a high fan kick in the jaw.  
  
Just then, Sub-Zero appeared. "Scorpion!" he called. The stunned ninja looked up and ignored his pain when he saw Sub-Zero.   
  
"Come here!" Brianna heard Scorpion yell. At lightening quick speed, Brianna pushed Sub-Zero on the ground just as the thing that came out of Scorpion's hand was about to hit Sub-Zero. Seeing that it failed, the monster-on-a-rope snapped back into Scorpion's hand.   
  
Sub-Zero gently pushed Brianna off of him and stood up. Brianna, too, found her way to her feet. Her head felt dizzy and felt grooves in her neck from Scorpion's fingers. Sub-Zero continued dodged a punch, dodged a kick, and met Scorpion with a spin kick to the head that sent him flying across the room. Although it was a hard-hitting kick, it didn't seem to phase Scorpion.   
  
Once again Brianna heard a "Come here!" But this time it sounded farther away. Brianna slitted her eyes open enough to see the monster stab Sub-Zero in the shoulder, and see his powerful body be pulled like a rag doll to Scorpion. The monster left Sub-Zero's shoulder, but he seemed to be very weak. Scorpion retaliated with an uppercut that knocked him unconscious.   
  
Wearily, Brianna stood. "Hey, Scorpion!" she called bravely. Scorpion's eyes narrowed as she saw the living spear come flying at her face. At the last second, Brianna grabbed the thing and pulled. It came out of Scorpion's hand, who screamed in pain and ran.  
  
Brianna again turned her attention to Sub-Zero. Neck aching, she grabbed him around the waist and dragged him to her room. Using all her strength, she hoisted him onto her bed. She took his boots and shirt off. The first thing she noticed was the puncture would in his shoulder, which was fairly large. Next she noticed his chest and well-toned stomach.  
  
"Wow…" she admired. She then her Sub-Zero moan in his sleep. Quickly, Brianna rushed to the main room where she found Liu, Johnny, Kitana, Sonya and Rayden.  
  
"Sub-Zero's hurt!" she told them and they all ran down to Brianna's room.  
  
"What happened?" Sonya asked Brianna. "This guy showed up in my room and led me into the hall. W heard footsteps and the guy slammed me against the wall. I started screaming and he grabbed my throat and then Sub-Zero came. This thing came out of the guy's hand and stabbed Sub-Zero in the shoulder. He got knocked unconscious. I ripped the thing out of his hand and he just ran off."  
  
"Scorpion," Kitana said.  
"Yeah, that's what Sub-Zero said his name was," Brianna informed them. "Is he going to be ok?" Brianna turned her attention to Rayden, concerned.   
  
"He will be fine," Rayden assured her. "Now, to move him." "Oh, no. He can stay in my bed," Brianna told them. "Very well then. We must all get some rest now. Tomorrow, Brianna, you will begin training," Rayden smiled.  
  
Everyone left the room leaving Brianna lone with Sub-Zero. She was still worked up from her ordeal, so she opened her purse and took her CD player out. Putting the head phones on, she cranked the volume and pressed play. Soon she was dancing around and listening to Mettalica's 'Enter Sandman'. During her parade, Sub-Zero came to, and stared at Brianna inquisitively.   
  
It took Brianna bout five minutes to realize she was being watched. She looked at the bed and saw Sub-Zero smiling at her. Brianna smiled back and pressed stop on her walk man.   
  
"How do you feel?" Brianna asked, sitting next to him on the bed. "My shoulder is a little sore, but I am fine. Where is Scorpion?" he asked her. "Freak on a Leash? He's gone." "Did he hurt you?" Sub-Zero asked, gripping her shoulder with his good hand. "Chill, dude, I'm fine," Brianna said. "Oh my God, that is so funny!" Brianna laughed at her own corny joke. Smiling, Brianna then got up and got the portable speakers out of her purse and hooked them up to the walk man. She changed the CD from Mettalica to Linkin Park and put the song 'In the End' on. Together, the couple laid down on the bed together and listened in silence until they both fell fast asleep. 


	4. Part Four

I Was Just Going to Dance Class!  
  
Part 4  
  
  
  
Sub-Zero awoke with a start. With this reaction, Brianna wrapped her arm around him tighter. He noticed this and it took him a moment to recognize his surroundings. It was still night; moonlight poured through the window. Quietly, Sub-Zero slid Brianna's arm off of his sweat-soaked body. His eyes darted to the door and at the same time he heard Brianna sigh in her sleep.  
  
Gently he slipped out of bed and pulled sheet up over Brianna's shoulder. "Thank you," he whispered and slipped out of the room and into his own.  
  
Sub-Zero's room was very plain and cold. His bed was low and had plain black sheets. He had a nightstand, which was empty except for a blue lava lamp. By the window there was a picture of him and his old friend Smoke in their Clan gear, sitting upon the desk. Sub-Zero lied down on this bed and stared up at the ceiling.  
  
She saved my life he thought. Scorpion could have killed me, but she stopped him somehow. But how could a girl from Earth, who knows nothing about fighting, defeat one of the best ninjas of all the realms? he pondered. There must be something about her, something she doesn't even know, or else Rayden would never have sent for her. And the last thing he saw in front of his face before he closed his eyes was Brianna ripping the spear from Scorpion's hand.  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
Sub-Zero, however, could only get a few hours of sleep. Inside his bandage, a thing layer of ice had grown on his wound like a scab. He was able to check that out when Rayden woke him for his training.  
  
"Brianna, you must wake up no," Rayed coaxed Brianna. "Why?" she cried. She looked out the window and saw it was still dark out. Her eyes grew wide as she reached for the watch on her nightstand that read 4:15AM. "Is there a need for me to get my white ass out of bed before dawn?" she asked crankily. Rayden, though, never seemed to lose patience. "You are upset because you have never been awoken this early. Come, let us go have something to eat." "You better have Starbucks waiting for me out there," she threatened groggily. First though, Brianna threw her hair up into a ponytail and followed Rayden.  
  
"Here, wear these," Rayden passed her a pair of crude sandals/slippers.  
  
Brianna was welcomed with a table full of what looked like a Continental Breakfast. The first thing Brianna saw was a coffeepot. 'Oh, my best friend!" she exclaimed as she ran over to the pot. She grabbed a mug and poured the liquid out of the carafe. Her face dropped as she saw steaming, clear water come out of the spout.  
  
"W-Wha?" Brianna stuttered. "Here your decaf tea," Sonya told her. Brianna looked like she was about to cry. "But.but my coffee?" "There is no coffee," Johnny told her, as if one of her family members had died. She snatched up the tea bag and dropped it in the mug.  
  
She gathered some grapes and a bagel on her plate. "Come," Sub-Zero had told her while she was picking up her plate. She followed him out side to a balcony. The sun was rising and casting light and shadows all over the land.  
  
"The sun rises today and it rises like our new champion," Rayden smiled. Brianna grunted at the though of being a champion. "But our new champion muse learn our ways.including self-discipline and respect," Rayden glared at her. Brianna flushed bright pink. "Sub-Zero, you will show her our ways and her schedule," Rayden commanded. Sub-Zero bowed and instructed Brianna to follow him.  
  
"Okay, Sub-Zero, this isn't some kind of clan is it? Cuz I don't plan on changing my name to Sky, and start sacrificing house pets to some freak that everyone calls Big Poppa, but is actually a 45-year-old man who lives in his parents' basement, right?" Brianna rambled on. "What? No!" he laughed. "Oh, then you must be some kind of gang." "No, we're the defenders of the Earth," he stated proudly. "Huh?" she asked him. "Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn are trying to take over your world, so we must stop them," Sub-Zero told her.  
  
"Dude, what have you been smoking and where can I get it?" Brianna laughed. "I don't smoke," he said, confused. "Sub-Zero, if the world really was in danger, than Dean Cain would get in his costume and save us, duh!" Brianna responded. She then walked quickly ahead of him into a room she noticed. "Dean Cain?" Sub-Zero asked himself, confused. 


	5. Part 5

I Was Just Going to Dance Class!  
  
Part 5  
  
"Subby, what is this place?" Brianna called. Sub-Zero jogged up to where Brianna was. "This is the meditation room," he explained. It was covered from floor to ceiling with flowers. "It's beautiful," she commented in awe.  
  
"This is where you will meditate at least twice a day. To be a successful fighter, one must have a clean and free soul," Sub-Zero explained. "How do you 'meditate'?" she asked. "You get into a position, close your eyes and relax."  
  
"Come see the gym," he instructed.  
  
Brianna was lead to a large room that had almost every piece of equipment ever made. "Here," Sub-Zero walked over to a punching bag. "Hit the bag as hard as you can." Brianna whacked the side of her fist against the bag. Sub-Zero laughed. "Try it like this," he shot his hand out and punched the bag, hard. "Oh, okay," Brianna repeated the motion. "OWWW, FUCK!" she screamed as she hurt her hand. "So I have this to look forward to first thing in the morning?" she asked. "Yes," he answered. "Hold up," Brianna rushed to her room and got her bag. "Let's get some music goin up in this bitch!" she laughed.  
  
"What a feeling  
  
Here's believing  
  
I can have it all now I'm dancing for my life  
  
Take your passion and make it happen  
  
You just come alive  
  
You can dance right through your life!" the speakers blared. "What is that?" Sub-Zero asked. "Flashdance," Brianna said. "Do you have a locker room or something?" Sub-Zero nodded and pointed to a corner of the gym that had a doorway in it. "I'm gonna go change," she smiled brightly.  
  
  
  
In an instant she was back, decked out in a blue sports bra and pajama shorts. "So do I have to grab a fly from your hand or what?" Sub- Zero smiled. "You are a very humorous girl," Sub-Zero commented. "I'm a woman, not a girl," she told him stubbornly. "That you are. I apologize." Brianna grinned. "Now, let's get you started on the bag," he instructed.  
  
~*~*3 Hours later.~*~*  
  
"Sub-Zero, can we pleeeeeaase stop? Look, the thing up there says we've been practicing for 3 hours!" Brianna whined. "Alright, I guess we could meditate now," Sub-Zero gave in.  
  
Brianna walked to the Meditation Room with Sub-Zero at her side. As she walked in, Sub-Zero dimmed the lights and lit some incense. He showed her how to sit and how to hold he hands.  
  
"Now, close your eyes," Sub-Zero whispered. Brianna did as she was told. "And imagine yourself on a secluded beach. You're all alone except for the sand underneath you, the sunset breeze in the air, and the relaxing sound of the ocean," he told her. Brianna smiled, thinking about how ridiculous t was, but didn't say anything; she had come to the conclusion that Sub-Zero took the mediation thing very seriously.  
  
She could tell he was very close to her because she could feel his icy breath on her face. Once he could tell she was lost in the trance, he backed away. 


	6. Part 6

I Was Just Going to dance Class!  
  
Part 6  
  
~*~*~In Brianna's mind.~*~*~  
  
As Sub-Zero had set up, Brianna found herself on a beach. She was all alone watching the sun set on the horizon. Sighing, Brianna leaned back on her elbows.  
  
"Cherie?" Brianna heard a familiar voice. She sprang to her feet. "Pierre?" she called. "Brianna?" she heard him yell in response. She started running towards the voice.  
  
It didn't take long for her to find him. She ran to him and he caught her in his arms and held her tight. Pierre's tear-choked voice said things in French to her that she didn't understand, but she knew were loving. Tears of happiness ran down her face as Pierre planted kisses all over her face and neck.  
  
"Pierre, I missed you so much. I'm sorry I couldn't come home, I." Brianna stopped as she noticed Pierre's gaze was focused on something behind her. Brianna turned to see what he was looking at. Her gaze was met with a cold, heartless, icy-blue stare of Sub-Zero.  
  
"Who is this?" Pierre demanded from Brianna. "Sub-Zero this is Pierre, Pierre this is Sub-Zero," she introduced warmly. Brianna watched in horror as Sub-Zero squinted his eyes, much like Scorpion did before he threw his spear. A ball of ice flew from his hand and hit Pierre. Instantaneously, Pierre was frozen from head to toe. Sub-Zero walked up to the iceman and punched him in the chest. Pierre's frozen body shattered like glass. "YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU JUST DID THAT! HE WAS MY BOYFRIEND YOU SICK FUCK!!" Brianna screamed at Sub-Zero. She ran up to him, punching him as hard as she could. Sub-Zero easily grabbed her wrists and held them firmly, but did nit hurt her. Tears flowing from her eyes, Brianna looked up at Sub-Zero to find that he was suddenly wearing a blue mask that covered the bottom half of his face. "I love him! Don't you understand? I don't want to be at your Goddamn stupid ass ninja recruiting camp, ok? I want to be back home in the city where I belong! And I want to be there with Pierre!"  
  
Sub-Zero just stared her down with the same cold stare he had used on her the day she had arrived to the Palace. "Answer me!" she demanded. Suddenly, a deep voice from above rumbled the earth. Sub-Zero turned his head to the sky. "Sub-Zero wins; flawless victory" "You cannot be distracted in your training," was his simple answer. Brianna looked at him, shocked. "This all a game to you, isn't it? What kind of person are you? I told you.I am not going to be a part of your little tiff with that Samsung guy, ok? I will find a way home!" she promised.  
  
  
  
"No you won't," Sub-Zero called after her. "Excuse me?" Brianna turned to him, shocked at his remark. "You won't find a way home. You are going to live with me forever and ever, until you die," he told her. "Look, Phantom of the Opera, I am NOT staying with you. I am sick and tired of this nightmare, and I am waking up. NOW!" she told him. Under his mask, Sub-Zero laughed. "You did not love him. You still keep your distinctive characteristic of humor." Brianna walked up to him and slapped him across the face. "How dare you question my love for him?!" Brianna screamed at him.  
  
"Your ignorance is going to be your executioner," Sub-Zero told her. "No.no it won't. You have already broken my heart.you were my executioner," Brianna sobbed. "And what heart do you speak of?" he asked her with amusement in his voice.  
  
Brianna turned around. "You've no place to go," he told her seriously. Brianna looked down and felt tears come to her eyes. "Just leave me alone. Haven't you done enough?" She walked to where her dead boyfriend lay. She picked up a piece of ice that was his face. She lowered her lips to his frozen ones. "Au revoir, mon cherie." Warm tears dotted the ice. "Are you finished?" Sub-Zero asked her.  
  
"Look, asswipe, I've had enough of your shit. I loved him, and you killed him for two stupid reasons. Number one: you wanted approval from some voice that I guess is your God. Number two: you were insanely jealous of him because you wanted me," she choked out angrily. Her statement was followed by a punch to Sub-Zero's face.  
  
Sub-Zero retaliated by grabbing her throat. "You are nothing but a conceded little bitch. I've put up with a lot of your shit, and I don't plan on taking anymore. I saved your life! I could have easily let that freak, Scorpion, kill you, but I didn't. And are you the least bit grateful for it? NO!" the familiar blue light glowed from his eyes. "But you forget so quickly that I saved your ass, too. You were unconscious, and I could have ran away so fast, but I didn't. And the only reason you even decided to fight him was because you want revenge. He did something to you, although I don't know what, but it must have been pretty bad. Now, you let go of my throat you son of a bitch, or else I'll kick you so hard in the crotch your nads are gonna be in your mouth," she threatened bravely.  
  
"You'd never hurt me; you know I could kill you so easily that the fact of you pissing me off scares you to death." "Really? Well you'd never kill me because that is the exact reason you left your little Lin Kuei club. They'd go around killing whoever they pleased without mercy. It was a real shame that the power of ice they gave you didn't surround your heart. You were told to kill a civilian woman, but you couldn't do it! You heart would never be able to get the picture of that woman clutching her baby to her chest out of your mind, would you? Oh yes, the leader of your clan had brainwashed his other warriors enough for them to forget their old lives and know of nothing besides obeying him and showing no mercy. But you wouldn't let that happen to you. You were strong, stronger than the rest.  
  
"There was one though, one who felt the same way as you. The both of you got rid of your masks, which by the way you should take off now because you aren't fooling anyone, and left the Lin Kuei for good. But it wasn't that easy. Your old master sill wanted you dead, so he sent his best warrior after you and your buddy. Scorpion.with the power of a living spear. He found the two of you, didn't he? Smoke wasn't as strong as you though. You were able to take care of Scorpion for the time being, but Smoke wasn't able to hang on. He died two hours later in your arms. So you drifted around until you came across the presence of the lovely Kitana.  
  
"You were intrigued by her, and you thought you were in love. You thought this though, only because she melted away all your thoughts of the Lin Kuei, Scorpion, and Smoke. Kind as she was to you, her feelings were attracted to a young man by the name of Liu Kang. You were insanely jealous of the fact that Kitana loved Liu, and not you. And why shouldn't you be? Liu was much smaller than you were, and you were much more attractive than he was, physically. But Kitana just did not see your charm. So you became meaner and meaner by the day, speaking only when spoken to, just about. Even Rayden noticed your aloofness.  
  
"But then one day, while you were walking down the intricate hallways of a palace you called home, a white light flooded the room. It took you a second to realize that it was coming from the throne room. As you ran to the room, you heard the unfamiliar screech of Firestone tires against black marble. In the throne room were all your 'friends', including the lovely Kitana. There was a large metal thing on wheels sitting in front of you, and out of it stepped a creature even lovelier than the beautiful Kitana. She was a young girl from the realm hat you were the guardian of, Earth. Beautiful, enchanting, but not a clue about where she was and why.  
  
"Brianna. She seemed to think she was dreaming when she arrived. You watched her sleep for hours. Her angelic face seemed to melt the so-called 'barrier' around your heart. Over an extremely short period of time, the two of you grew almost as close as you as Smoke had once been. That's why you like being around her. She had the personality of her own, twisted somehow with Smoke. Brianna also held the beauty of Kitana. You knew she couldn't leave, and you were glad about it. The only problem was her love for someone that she would never see again. So, to prevent her from any further heartbreak, (at least that's what you told yourself, even though deep down you know it was to prevent another Liu Kang-Kitana de ja veu) you brought her to a meditation room that she simply adored. You made sure she was in the right trance and killed her precious boy toy right in front of her eyes. By doing this you showed no mercy, so you came in the old clan gear you swore to yourself you would never wear again. Old habits are hard to get rid of, eh Subby? You tried to play off your guilt by making some smart-ass jokes, pissing her off. And here we are. What's your next move gonna be, Sub-Sweetie?"  
  
Sub-Zero looked at her stunned. Brianna's eyes closed and shot open again with an equal look of shock on her face. "What just happened?" she asked him. But Sub-Zero didn't seem to hear her. He let go of her neck and looked down at the ground. He looked as if he had just gotten the shit kicked out of him. The next thing Brianna knew, there was a bright flash of light, and she was back in the meditation room. 


	7. Part 7

I Was Just Going to Dance Class!  
  
Part 7  
  
"Brianna, are you ok?" Sub-Zero asked her when she came back. "Oh Subby, I had a horrible dream!" she wailed. Sub-Zero once again took her into an awkward hug as she repeated what she had occurred in her meditation session. His face went pale as she recited his entire life after the Lin Kuei. "Subby?" she asked after he didn't talk for a while. "Yeah.You just had a bad dream, Brianna," he said.  
  
After she calmed down, Brianna walked with Sub-Zero down the hall way to the throne room where they ran into Rayden.  
  
"It is good you are here," Rayden said seriously. "In three days time, you will be sent on your first mission." Sub-Zero looked at Rayden. "Lord Rayden, I do not mean disrespect by this, but don't you think that her first mission is given to her a little early?" Sub-Zero asked. "Sub- Zero, your question does not show disrespect but concern. I am proud of you for that. As for the answer to your question, she is young and inexperienced, but she has experience of her own, which will lead her," he answered.  
  
  
  
~*~*3 days time later.~*~*~  
  
  
  
Brianna's mission was awaiting her. There was a gathering at Shao Kahn's lair that she were supposed to sneak into it, find out what the commotion was, and come back unnoticed.  
  
"Now remember what I told you," Sub-Zero told her for the millionth time that day. "I know, I know, be in and out of there. I can handle this," she reassured him. Sub-Zero sighed. "Scorpion will be there. So will Reptile. They are both Lin Kuei members, and they will stop at nothing to get to me. They will kill you gladly if it makes me unhappy," he explained. "And it would make you unhappy?" she asked him. "Sorely," he leaned down the few feet to kiss her, she thought, but he ended up just leaving a peck on her forehead.  
  
Brianna smiled up at him. "See you soon," she blew him a kiss. Walking to the computer room, she met up with Sonya, Johnny, Kitana and Rayden. She waved goodbye and walked through a doorway thing that took her to the outside of Shao Kahn's lair. "Sweet crib," she commented.  
  
~*~*~*~*  
  
Brianna went in the door. There were people everywhere, all drinking from tall glasses. She silently sneaked to the giant punch bowl thing and poured about three bottle of whiskey in it. She sneaked back out and waited about an hour, then proceeded to enter the castle as if she belonged there. Everyone was drunk off their asses. Brianna smiled, knowing she was going to have fun doing this. Her grin grew wider as she noticed a stage with a microphone hooked up to it and speakers.  
  
Brianna hooked the speakers up to the CD player for. "How are y'all feelin tonight?" Brianna asked through the microphone. "Who are you?" came a drunken slur from an audience member. "Why, I'm the DJ of course. I'm here to rock this party. SO ARE YOU GUYS READY TO HAVE FUN?!" she asked. "YEAH!!" came the response. "YO, I CAN'T HEAR ALL OF YOU GUYS OUT THERE! I SAID, ARE YOU READY TO HAVE SOME FUN?!" Once again there was a chorus of 'Yeah!'s.  
  
"OK, now I got some new stuff for you. It's from a certain band that I like to call The Offspring. I think it describes me best. So here you go ORIGINAL PRANKSTER!" The music started, along with the party.  
  
Brianna jumped off the stage and danced her way through the crowd. She hit the shuffle, repeat all button on her CD player and left it where it was.  
  
Once again Brianna danced her way through the crowd until she was met with a familiar face. "Scorpion!" she gasped. "Hey, do I know you? You look really fammilliar," he slurred. He's the one! Brianna thought to herself. "No, but if you wanna go hang out, I could be familiar," she smiled flirtatiously. "OK, but lemme get some more of this beverage," he said, pulling her by the hand. Scorpion got more punch and dragged Brianna across the room again.  
  
Brianna 'danced' with Scorpion, who really didn't know how to. The music switched to Nirvana. "Scorpion, do you know anywhere where we can have some privacy?" Scorpion nodded and led her to a room that was off the main ballroom.  
  
1 Meanwhile, back at Rayden's palace.  
  
  
  
"Is she okay?" Sub-Zero asked Rayden for the thirtieth time. "Yes, she's fine." Rayden trailed off. He was astounded that the procedure that the four had used was actually working. "Let me see," Sub-Zero pleaded, looking at the computer screen. "OK, you may take the next shift of watching them. If something goes wrong, tell me and we'll go get them," Rayden finally gave in.  
  
"Focus Brianna," Sub-Zero told the computer. The screen showed a picture of Brianna and Scorpion in one of the rooms. He watched with rage as the events unfolded right before his eyes.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"So Scorpion, what are you doing here?" she asked him. He was sitting on a bed that was in the center of the room. Brianna sat down behind him and rubbed his shoulders. "You really wanna know?" he asked. "Yeah," she said in his ear. Brianna rubbed Scorpion's back while he told her what was going on.  
  
"Shao Kahn wants to take control of the portal to Earth so he can conquer it. He's put Shang Tsung in charge of training the best of all of Kahn's warriors for the Tournament in 8 months," Scorpion explained. "Really?" Brianna tried to sound as interested as possible with out blowing her cover. She reached up and pulled Scorpion's mask down. "There, now I can hear you better," she smiled. He smiled back at her. "But first, he had to take care of the defenders of Earth," he explained.  
  
"So what are you doing here? I thought you were loyal to the Lin Kuei," she stated. "I am, but I am here for revenge on that backstabbing bastard Sub-Zero." he trailed off. He spun quickly to face her. "That's where I know you from. I went to your-" Scorpion's sentence was cut off by Brianna's mouth crashing on his. She didn't know what else to do. Scorpion was still intoxicated, and gave in to her.  
  
He ran his hands down her body. "Scorpion." she complained. "Shhh.relax." he calmed her down. Brianna sighed and allowed Scorpion to have his way with her.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sub-Zero could not watch any more. He felt the same way he did whenever he used to see Kitana kiss Liu. Why did I even bother getting my hopes up about her? It's obvious she is just a whore. But still.I wish I had someone, even though they could be a distraction from my destiny. 


	8. Part 8

I Was Just Going to Dance Class!  
  
Part 8  
  
~*~*~The next morning*~*~*  
  
  
  
Brianna was awoken by a cry of pain and movement underneath her. "Morning," she smiled to Scorpion sweetly. He didn't seem to hear her, though as his eyes searched frantically for his gear. "Hanzo," she called. Scorpion turned at her and looked at her with bewilderment in his eyes. He couldn't even remember the last time someone called him Hanzo. He almost couldn't even remember what Hanzo was. She smiled at him. "You're not Scorpion anymore."  
  
Hanzo looked around frantically. "What are you talking about? Of course I'm Scorpion. And if you don't tell me where my things are, I will kill you right here," he threatened in his deep voice. Brianna's eyes glowed a deep crimson. "Try it. Go ahead, throw your spear," she said, amused. He held his hand up and waited for his Spear to come out of his hand, but it never did. She smiled at him. "Like I said, you're not Scorpion any more," she reached in her bag and pulled out a mirror. Scorpion, or Hanzo, looked at himself and was shocked at the reflection staring back at him. His white eyes were no longer there, instead he had beautiful, almond-shaped brown eyes.  
  
"Relax, the Lin Kuei won't get you. Now hurry up and get dressed, but don't put on your mask. We have to leave before everybody wakes up!" she whispered. Hanzo did as he was told, and Brianna got dressed at the same time. "C'mon," she grabbed his hand and led him out of the castle. They walked quickly into the woods surrounding the great structure until Brianna came across the doorway that got her there in the first place. She took a deep breath and jumped in the doorway with Hanzo at her side.  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
In the next instant, Brianna found herself in the computer room with him next to her. Also, she found Sub-Zero asleep at the computer. She saw a frozen tear on his face, and on the computer screen she saw the bedroom her and Hanzo had shared the night before. "What have I done?" she asked herself, knowing that Sub-Zero would forever hate her now. Grimacing, she shook Sub-Zero gently. "Subby?" she called quietly. Hanzo looked on with a familiar pang of hatred for the creature sleeping in the chair. Sub-Zero woke with a start. He was met with Brianna's eyes staring into his. She looked guilty and had a very faint pink glow coming from her eyes.  
  
Immediately, Sub-Zero pulled the frozen tear off of his face. "What?" he asked bitterly. He looked up and saw Scorpion standing there. In a flash he was on his feet and in a defense mode. It took only seconds for a ball of ice to form in his hand. "SUB-ZERO, NO!" Brianna wailed. Sub-Zero threw the ice ball, and she jumped in front of Hanzo right before it hit him.  
  
"BRIANNA!" he yelled, shocked at what he had just done. Deep within her eyes, a red glow started to be visible. Both Sub-Zero and Scorpion watched as the ice quickly melted away from her body. Within seconds, the ice was in a puddle on the floor. "How did I just do that?" she asked the two men. "It is your power," Hanzo told her.  
  
"You," Sub-Zero said harshly to Scorpion. Brianna stepped up and held Sub-Zero back by pushing his chest. "Subby, listen to me," she tried to calm him. Sub-Zero looked down at her. "Your not the first girl he's done before, so don't think too highly of him," Sub-Zero said coldly. Brianna stared at Sub-Zero in total shock that he would say such a thing.  
  
Brianna slapped Sub-Zero as hard as she could across the face. It didn't seem to phase him though. "He's not Scorpion anymore. He quit the Lin Kuei…as you have," she said calmly, although the red glow flared up again from inside her. "Sub-Zero," Hanzo called to him.  
  
"You may be able to fool her, but not me," he told her. "Sub-Zero, I know you hate me, and at a time I hated you. But I only did so because I was programmed to. Please, I beg you for a peaceful treaty. I also wish to help your cause as a defender of the realm of Earth," Hanzo explained himself. Sub-Zero cocked his head slightly, deciding whether or not he should trust him. "I do not hate you, but I do not think highly of you either. It is up to Rayden to decide if you may fight with us or not," Sub- Zero turned and walked away.  
  
"Excuse me Hanzo," she chased after Sub-Zero. "Subby!" she called after him. Sub-Zero stopped, but that was his only sign of acknowledgement of her. "Subby, I need to talk to you," she said when she caught up to him. "I do not need to hear anything. I have already seen the real you," he said coldly. "I just did what I thought I had to do. Besides, aren't you glad that you have one less person of the Lin Kuei after you?" she asked him.  
  
"The Lin Kuei will replace him just as easily, as they have replaced both Smoke and I." "Aren't you glad that he is fighting for us now?" "Call him whatever you want; Scorpion or Hanzo. He still contains the heart of a Lin Kuei warrior. Years of brainwashing and training does not disappear in one night," he defended his argument.  
  
Brianna sighed on frustration. "I know what I did last night was wrong. I'm sorry, but I don't know how else to handle something like that. You forget I haven't had years of training as a karate expert. And I have no idea where I am. How would you react if I took you to Earth and stuck you in an office building and told you what to do? You'd handle it the only way you knew how to, as I have done. I did exactly what I wasn't supposed to do, but it was a life or death situation," she told him. There was a long silence. "Why do you care if I slept with him anyways?" she asked. "Because, men like him are not the kind of people you're looking for," he said.  
  
"And how would you know what kind of a person I am looking for?" she asked him. "You are looking for a man that is like the men from Earth. Men who have feelings of love for their mates. Men who would die in the name of love. Scorpion is not like that…no one here is like that, not even Johnny, anymore," he told her. Brianna stared down at her shoes, trying to adjust to the scenario she was in. "You're like that," she finally said. Sub-Zero sighed. "I was once." 


	9. Part 9

I Was Just Going to Dance Class!  
  
Part 9  
  
  
  
Brianna looked up at Sub-Zero with longing in her eyes. She wanted him to be the way he was, only because she wanted at least a shred of familiarity of home. Sub-Zero turned around and walked away. He stopped to look at her though. "You know, you've made love to a dead man," he told her. "He wasn't dead last night," she said to herself. "No, seriously, Brianna. He's dead. The Lin Kuei killed him, and what you see out there is a soul. The soul of Hanzo, trapped in the prison of Scorpion. I mean, Scorpion was never a real person, just a machine. I guess you made him have a malfunction. Scorpion will be back though," Sub-Zero told her.  
  
"No he's not dead," she stated. "I am," Hanzo appeared from behind them. Brianna turned around. "Hanzo, don't play along with him. It's not funny," she said. "I am not playing along, Brianna. I enjoyed our time together, very much actually. But I will not be Hanzo forever, for I cannot be a drifting soul. Within hours I will be back as Scorpion and forget all of which I have learned about my past," he said sadly.  
  
"Hanzo, stop lying. You can't be dead. After last night-" "Last night was a mortal thrill. It was nothing that I have not done before." Brianna looked at him, not wanting to believe what he was saying. "But you can't be evil. It's not how it's supposed to go!" she protested. "I know, I wish I could have it the way I want it to go. If it were up to me I'd still be alive, but I'm not," Hanzo said. "I must leave now, before I change back and hurt you."  
  
Sub-Zero was getting sick of the moment his enemy and friend were sharing. So he walked away and to the gym. "Before I go," Hanzo said. "I want you to have this. It will be a sign of your power," he placed a silver necklace around her neck. On it was a little ball pendent. Inside the ball, a red gas glowed and swirled around. "Good luck in the Tournament. If I must fight you, I'll try to remember to give you a quick death," he promised. Brianna looked at the ball and then at him like he was crazy. "Whatever," she said and ran after Sub-Zero. Hanzo looked down. "She's going to die here," he thought and walked back through the doorway.  
  
Brianna ran through the corridors until she saw Sub-Zero in the gym, punching the shit out of the bag. She walked slowly up behind him.  
  
"What do you want?" Sub-Zero asked her when she was close enough to touch him, but he didn't turn around. "Subby, I…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just caught up in the moment. It was wrong of me to not even consider how you felt," she explained. "And what if I were to end up being caught in the moment with Kitana, huh? Would you just forgive me like you expect me to forgive you?" he said bitterly.  
  
"First of all you wouldn't get caught up in the moment with Kitana or any other girl for that matter. You wouldn't be able to because according to you, you 'don't feel'. That whole speech you gave me back there was complete bullshit because what I did affected you."  
  
"It affected me because I don't want you to be a leak to our enemies! If you slept with him, you gave him trust-"  
  
"Oh, that's such a fucking lie and you know it. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I do expect you to take my perspective into consideration. If you want to be immature about it, fine. But don't try to pull the wool over my eyes about you not feeling and not wanting me to be a leak," Brianna said angrily and turned away, her eyes as bright as ever, and red tears starting to fall down her cheeks. She stomped away and into the meditation room.  
  
Meanwhile, Sub-Zero was left in the gym with Brianna's hostile words to think about. Suddenly he heard Rayden's voice from behind him.  
  
"She's right you know," he said, amused. Sub-Zero turned and bowed to him. "Rayden, how can you find Brianna's choice of convincing acceptable? She's done things with a man she has known for only one night that a woman who's known a man for a thousand nights wouldn't do!"  
  
"Like I said before, she has her own experience that would help her be safe in such an environment as Shao Kahn's Castle. In her world, such things are accepted, especially for females of her generation. Did she complete her mission? Yes. Did she find the information with out being physically harmed? Yes. Did she use any violence? No. Let me ask you something, could you have completed your mission unharmed and without using any violence?"  
  
"Well, no, but I wouldn't have sexual relations with Mileena or Sindel or something."  
  
"You would probably pull someone away from the festivities quietly, threaten them to tell you the plans or else they would die, and then leave just as quietly. Brianna does not yet know how to do that. So, I leave it up to you to train her in how to do so."  
  
Sub-Zero sighed and looked down. "Oh, and don't try to convince her that you have no feelings of love; she already knows you do." 


	10. Part 10

⃟  
  
  
  
"Hold your fist like this," Sub-Zero gently twisted her wrist. Brianna had seemed to try concentrating as a way to make it up to Sub-Zero for last month's events, even though he told her already that he under stood her situation and forgave her. He took her hand and led her inside the mini boxing ring. Sub-Zero helped Brianna put on a pair of gloves and put on a pair of boxing pads himself.  
  
"OK, I want you to try that combo I showed you on my hand," Sub-Zero told her. Brianna closed her eyes and though of a scenario in which Pierre was with another woman. Her eyes shot open, bright red, and she started punching and kicking the pads with great accuracy and speed for an amateur. "Very good!" Sub-Zero exclaimed. Brianna sighed and her eyes returned to their normal shade of blue. "You're making excellent progress. Soon you'll be almost as good as me."  
  
"I just have to figure out this whole anger power. It's weird cuz before I had a really good temper. Maybe it's a 'Me, Myself & Irene' kind of thing." The statement was directed more towards herself than him.  
  
"A what?" Sub asked. "It's a movie about this guy who is really nice and lets people walk all over him, and one day he snaps and develops schizophrenia and his 'other half' is the complete opposite of him."  
  
"Oh, a movie?" asked quizzically. "I'll tell ya later," she laughed lightly. "So what are you doing tonight?" Brianna inquired. "Well, I planned on going to the Medi Room after this, getting some dinner, and going to bed," Sub-Zero answered.  
  
"Oh…not much to do around here for fun, huh?" she smiled. Sub-Zero paused for a minute. "Hey, uh, do you think me and you could go to dinner together tonight?" he asked. "Great! I mean, sure," Brianna blushed. Sub- Zero beamed at her. "I'll see you tonight then," he leaned down, grabbed her hand and kissed it delicately. "Bye," Brianna grinned as Sub walked away.  
  
Filled with joy, Brianna skipped down the hall. Soon she came across Kitana. "Oh, Brianna. Just the person I was looking for. Come I have something for you." Kitana smiled cheerfully. Brianna followed Kitana to her chambers. There Kitana pulled out a beautiful red outfit. It was made of pure silk with a peasant-type top in which the neckline stretched across her shoulders. The matching skirt was similar to the shirt and was a sarong style wrap around.  
  
"Kitana, it's beautiful…thank you," Brianna said gratefully. "Sonya and I just finished it. I hope it fits." Kitana seemed to really want Brianna's approval on the ensemble she had worked so hard on. "I'm gonna go try it on. Thank you so much Kitana!" Brianna exclaimed giving her new friend a hug. Kitana grinned with satisfactory as she watched Brianna run into the hallway excitedly. 


	11. Part 11

Chapter 11  
  
  
  
**LATER THAT DAY**  
  
Brianna checked herself in the mirror for the millionth time that day. "I hope he likes this," she bit her lip. She sighed and looked at her face in the mirror, used to the pinkish glow that would appear in her eye when she was feeling strong emotions. Nervously, she checked her watch and made her way into the dark and damp hallway.  
  
Quietly she walked to the dining hall. It was quite odd, she noticed how she had known Subby for a while but it felt like she was going on her first date with him. Well duh, she thought, it's basically our first real date and he's like mad hot. Shyly she entered and saw Sub-Zero sitting there at the table waiting for her.  
  
"Hey," Brianna smiled weakly. Sub-Zero walked up to her, leaned down, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Where did you get your clothing?" he inquired. "Oh, uh, Sonya and Kitana made it for me," Brianna said, knowing he had once had a crush on Kitana. "You look beautiful, as stunning as a God," Sub-Zero said thoughtfully. Brianna looked up and gave him a cheerful beam. "Thanks." They walked back to the table. Together they ate in silence for a while, until Sub-Zero started the conversation.  
  
"How do you plan on going about finding your power?" he asked. "I have no clue. How did you find your ice thing?" she asked him. Sub couldn't help but laugh. "What?" she asked him. "Ice thing?" he laughed. "Oh excuse me, in the terms they use around here, 'Which method was used to locate your glacial abilities?'" she joked. Sub-Zero laughed again. "I don't think you want to know," he said in a serious tone. "Oh really? I think I'll be the judge of that," she said matter-of-factly. "No, no. If I tell you, I'll have to go into my whole life and I really don't want to do that." "Oh, okay," she said quietly. There was an awkward silence between the two.  
  
"So why don't you tell me about yourself?" he tried to break the pause. "Well, I'm from America on Earth, Jersey to be specific. I lived with my boyfriend Pierre de Orléan on Manhattan in New York City. I went to college and studied marine biology." Sub-Zero interrupted, "You like the ocean?" Brianna looked at him like he had just asked if Michael Jackson had ever had plastic surgery. "I love the ocean," she admitted. "This Pierre de Orléan, he was a very lucky man to have you as a lover." Sub- Zero's tone was very sad.  
  
"Subby?" Brianna asked Sub-Zero, and pouted her lips a little. "Yes?" he acknowledged her. "Kiss me?" she couldn't believe how stupid she must have sounded. Sub-Zero leaned over and he gave her a peck on the lips.  
  
"A kiss, Subby," Brianna complained playfully. She leaned over and closed her eyes and kissed him on the lips. Sub-Zero was just enjoying the feeling when she pulled away quickly. She opened her eyes and mouth wide with shock. She looked away from Sub-Zero and coughed. A great blue and white flame escaped her lips.  
  
"Fucking sweet" she said, amazed. "Your power has been unleashed!" Sub-Zero said happily. "How did I just do that?" she asked him. Her eyes were glowing bright red and were shocked. "Your emotions. Here try this," he told her. He brought her hand up to her face, fingertips right in front of her mouth. "Now think of something wonderful, something happy," he instructed her. She smiled and thought about her and Sub-Zero on a beautiful beach watching the sun set. "Now blow," he told her, and she did. Brianna watched with fascination as her breath streamed across her fingers. From her nails appeared for little orange flames.  
  
"So, you are the Inferna," Sub-Zero dubbed her. "Inferna? What's that, my wrestling name?" she smiled. She shook her hand and the flames went out. "You shall be known as Inferna, Mistress of Fire," Sub-Zero said solemnly. "Jesus Christ, get a little more gay," Brianna said. She grunted and smoke came from her nose. Suddenly there was a screaming beep that rocked through the dining hall.  
  
"Oh, shit!" Sub-Zero exclaimed. "What the hell is that?" she asked. "The alarm. Come on!" he instructed her. They ran together to the computer room where everyone was standing around Sonya, who was concentrating intently on the computer.  
  
"What's going on?" Brianna, or Inferna, asked. "Three portals have been opened on Earth. Sub-Zero, you take Brianna to the New York City portal, me and Johnny will go to the one in Sydney, and Kitana and Liu go to the one in London. Now lets hurry!" Sonya told everyone. Sub-Zero led Brianna to one of the Dragon jets. New York City… Brianna trailed off to herself, feeling a great feeling of hope burning inside of her. 


	12. Part 12

Chapter 12  
  
Brianna climbed into the Dragon jet alongside of Sub-Zero. Instantly, they were transported to the exact same spot that Brianna remembered as the spot where her car had met the blue light. The two stepped out of the jet and into the alley. Suddenly, 2 figures jumped from the roofs of the surrounding buildings.  
  
One Brianna remembered from the party. He was dressed like Scorpion had been, except he was wearing green and black. His eyes were yellow and he reminded Brianna of a snake. The other was also a male. She was disgusted to see that half of his face was replaced by chrome. He wore what Brianna thought would be typical macho guy clothes: a muscle shirt and jeans.  
  
"Sssub-Zero, you and your female will finally meet your doom!" the green-and-black ninja hissed. "Hey, buddy, you should go to speech therapy for that hissing problem," Brianna told the ninja. "Exxccussse me?" Reptile turned his attention to Brianna.  
  
"See there it is again! I'm sure you weren't too popular in ssssschool, huh?" Brianna mimicked him. "You should shut yo' mouth, little girl," the other man said to her. "What did you just say to me?" Brianna asked, feeling a red glow form in her eyes. "I said that you should shut yo' mouth and learn yo' place," he told her in an Australian accent. "I'll kick your ass!" she exclaimed and lunged at him. Sub-Zero, in turn, went for Reptile.  
  
Brianna threw a punch and Kano easily blocked it. "You know, I might let a pretty girl like you live if you do me a little 'favor'", Kano smiled and winked his good eye. "Not in a million years, Croc Hunter," Brianna said, disgusted. She punched him across the face, knocking him back. "Alright fine, have it your way," he came back and went to kick her. Brianna grabbed his ankle and pulled his leg the wrong way. There was a sickening crack as Kano cried out in pain and fell to the ground.  
  
She walked over to him and looked down, her eyes glowing dark, dark red. "I can't wait to go back and tell Sonya that you're dead," she smiled wickedly at the pathetic creature below her. Kano reached behind himself and pulled out a switchblade and tried to stab Brianna in the leg with it. Luckily, she jumped back right before the end of the blade sunk into her lower leg. She kicked the knife out of his hand and stomped on his wrist. Feeling her eyes glow again, she opened her mouth and set Kano's head on fire.  
  
Meanwhile, Sub-Zero was having a more difficult time with Reptile. "Lin Kuei, you will pay for your ssssins," he hissed. Sub-Zero did not say any words of acknowledgement to this threat, and instead retaliated to it with a spin kick to Reptile's face. The two went back and forth for a while, punching, blocking, kicking, and Reptile even trying to spit at him. Reptile was about to throw an energy ball when Sub-Zero froze him in his position and kicked him, shattering him to pieces.  
  
Sub-Zero sighed and saw what Brianna had done to Kano. "Nice job," he said and walked back to the Dragon jet. Brianna started after him, but then turned around and booked. She ran as fast as she could in the direction of her old house. "I had a bad feeling that this would happen," Sub-Zero said, exasperated, and ran after her.  
  
Brianna turned her head and found Sub-Zero running after her, as she imagined he would. She watched as he readied an ice ball. He threw it at her, but she dodged it. Soon she was at the front door of her home. Quickly, she opened the front door and charged up the stairs, laughing, as she was about to see her boyfriend for the first time in so many months.  
  
Brianna walked through the hallway of the upper part of her house, until she reached the door of the bedroom her and Pierre had once shared. Swallowing hard, she knocked three times. There was a pause, and then she heard some one walking lazily to the door. The door opened and Pierre said, "Who is it?" in a French accent that was very harsh. He opened the door with a pissed look on his face. She basically jumped into his arms and kissed him.  
  
"PIERRE!" she exclaimed. "Brianna? Is it really you?" he asked, his voice full of hope. "Yes, it's really me! Is it really you?" her tear choked voice asked him. He started laughing with glee and kissed her as though she had been gone for a million years instead of a couple of months.  
  
Pierre carried her downstairs to the living room, set her on the couch and sat down next to her. Awkwardly, though, Brianna's eyes were burning red again. "Let me get you a drink, you look like you have been to Hell and back, Cherie!" he said, concerned. Brianna smiled, happy to be home. She listened contentedly as her boyfriend got a glass from the cabinet. She heard the freezer door open, a pause and then glass shattering. "Pierre? What happened, baby?" she called. Brianna got up and walked into the kitchen. She gasped at what she saw.  
  
Standing before her were Pierre with a look of absolute shock on his face, and Sub-Zero. "Cherie, get out of here and get ze police!" Pierre instructed her. "No, no. It's okay, I know him," Brianna said pathetically. "What? How do you know something zat just came out of ze freezer?" Pierre asked her. "Sub-Zero, what are you doing here?" she asked him, angered. "You can't leave. You have to stay with us," he said calmly, but the look on his face showed that he was extrememly pissed off at her.  
  
"Get out of here, and leave her alone!" Pierre demanded, hiding his fear of the huge man standing next to him. Sub-Zero wrapped his elbow around Pierre's neck and brought him into a headlock. "Brianna, if you don't come with me, I'll freeze him and then I'll break him to pieces," Sub- Zero threatened. "No…" Brianna trailed off, feeling her tears flow down her cheeks and her eyes getting bright red. "Either way, Brianna, you're coming with me. Now if you just cooperate, he'll live, if not, then I'll kill him and take you," he told her. "Brianna, do not go with him. It does not matter if I die, your family needs you and you have to stay so they do not suffer any more," Pierre pleaded with her.  
  
Squinting her eyes, Brianna aimed and fired a line of fire from her eyes at Sub-Zero. It threw him back a few feet but he still held on to his hostage with an iron grip. "You know I will kill him, Brianna. This is your last warning," Sub-Zero threatened, his voice rising a little. Brianna stood fast. "Alright then, you leave me no choice," Sub-Zero said in a regretful tone. Brianna watched in horror as frost began to form on Pierre's body, starting with his feet and slowly climbing up to his chest, and finally taking in his entire head.  
  
"WAIT!!!" Brianna screamed as Sub-Zero brought his arm back, ready to shatter the real frozen ice-sculpture in front him. "I'll go back with you, just don't kill him," Brianna said, red tinted tears streaming from her eyes. "Very well, come with me," Sub-Zero instructed. "Just…please…let me say goodbye to him? Please?" Brianna asked him with hope written all over her face. Sub-Zero felt sorry for her and nodded his head once after a pause. "Thank you," she said.  
  
Brianna walked up to the frozen body and gently kissed him on the lips. Instantly a puddle started forming at his feet until he was completely defrosted. He looked at Brianna with the look of longing for an explanation on his face. "Pierre, I, um, have to go back to where I went," she said sadly. "No, please, Brianna. I want to marry you. Stay with me, and we can move back to Paris together. I promise, I will do anything to make you happy!" Pierre begged her, and pulled out a huge diamond engagement ring. This just made her feel even worse. "I can't marry you Pierre. I have to go with Sub-Zero or else the whole world will end. I'm sorry. I want to stay with you, I really do, but I can't. I'm a chosen one," Brianna cried. "What are you talking about Brianna? Why do you want to go with him?" Pierre asked her, with a feeling of suspicion gnawing at the pit of his stomach. "I have to Pierre, or else you and everyone else will die. I can't explain it to you, but one day you will understand. I promise you that," she tried to bite back her tears. "Go if you must, but would you marry me?" he asked her. "If I could Pierre, I would marry you tomorrow," she told him. "Brianna, we have to go. Now," Sub-Zero complained sternly. "Then take the ring. Please?" Pierre asked her. "I-I can't. I'm sorry," Brianna sobbed out, knowing the ring would upset her every time she would look at it. "You keep it. Remember me by it," she told him. Pierre kissed her their final kiss while they were alive, and Brianna walked back over to Sub-Zero.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"What were you thinking back there?" Sub-Zero scolded her as they walked back to the Dragon jet. "I was thinking that I was going to see my boyfriend again after being separated from him for 2 months," she said coldly. "Yeah, I'm sure you were thinking about him while you were having sex with Scorpion, too, huh?" he asked her sarcastically. "You know something, Sub-Zero, you're an asshole. I mean, I figured that maybe you could drop it since it happened so long ago-"  
  
"So long ago? It happened last month, how is that so long ago?!" he interrupted, shocked that she would refer to it as that. "That's a long time for me ok? Why are you people doing this to me? I'm not supposed to save the world! I'm a 25-year-old woman who leads a boring little life in New York City. I don't know how to fight, I have no interest in fighting and I want to keep my life the way it was. Why can't you just replace me with someone better?" she told him.  
  
"Boring? You think the fact that you can shoot fire from your eyes is boring, Inferna? You cannot be replaced because Rayden knows you are special. He's looked into your soul and seen that you have a destiny with the Forces of Light," he told her. "Don't call me Inferna," she complained. They reached the Dragon jet finally. "Your new name is Inferna, just like mine is Sub-Zero, ok?" it was more of a command than a question.  
  
There was a short flash and the Dragon jet returned to the castle in its rightful place. 


	13. Part 13

Chapter 13  
  
"Inferna, welcome back," Rayden told her. "My name isn't Inferna," she said bitterly. Sub-Zero poked her in the side with his elbow. "What? It's not," she protested.  
  
"Brianna, please, come with me," Rayden instructed her. Sub-Zero had a look of dread on his face, Brianna saw, and she slowly followed Rayden who had turned and started down the hallway. "It's cool," Brianna told Sub-Zero, although it was more of a comment to help calm herself down instead of him. Running, Brianna finally caught up to Rayden who was still walking ahead of her.  
  
"You must learn to understand, Brianna. You have understood that you must learn to fight, and you seem to have no problem with that. But it is your home that you must forget," he told her. They were now walking into a courtyard that reminded Brianna of the old labyrinth made out of bushes in the movie `The Shining'. "Why? Why do I have to be here? I'm nothing special, just another face in the crowd. There is no need for me to be here in this dimension or whatever it is," she complained.  
  
"You still do not believe in yourself," Rayden said, "you know deep down inside of you that this is your rightful place. Now, please, you must forget your past. The fate of the world depends on you, Inferna."  
  
"Would you please stop calling me Inferna! Why did Sub-Zero come after me? LEAVE ME ALONE! LET ME GO BACK HOME! My name is Brianna, not Inferna, and I have a life, Goddamit!" Brianna screamed at Rayden. "Enough," he said, and lightening flashed across his eyes. Brianna didn't seem to be intimidated. "No, I'll scream at the top of my lungs and you can't stop me from doing so," she said stubbornly. "You dare to defy a God?" Rayden asked her. The sky grew dark and there was thunder heard in the distance. "I'll defy whomever I please," she said bitterly, red eyes glowing. A bolt of lightening came down and struck of the bushes, setting it aflame.  
  
"Please, you don't want to upset me. Now look, you are stuck here and there is nothing you can do about it. When all evil is defeated, then maybe you can go back home, but that will not happen unless you are here to fight it. Do not be selfish; the world is counting on you," Rayden said. At first Brianna just stood there and thought about what he had just said. Finally, she sighed heavily. "I guess I could get used to being called Inferna," she said. Rayden beamed. The sky grew light again and sunlight poured down from it. "You must find your way back," Rayden said, and disappeared.  
  
"SHIT!" Brianna, or Inferna, exclaimed. She turned around and tried to find her way back. She came to a dead end. "You know, this is nothing but a bush," she smiled. "Why don't people in the movies just like chop it down or something?" she thought, shooting a flame from her finger tip The bush burnt to the ground and Brianna was met with a brick wall right behind it. "Fucking great!" she said.  
  
Again she turned around and took another route. She got a little further this time, but she reached another dead end. Soon she was running through the maze, fear creeping through her body from her stomach. "Come on, there has to be a way out!" she said aloud. She made a quick left and right, and met another wall. "MOTHER FUCKER!" she screamed. Once again she turned around and looked for a way out. Inferna ran and ran until the sky started to get dark. She reached another dead end, and she couldn't take it any more.  
  
"Help me get out of here, please Rayden," she whispered. She walked up to the bush and leaned her back against it and expected to come across another brick wall, but instead she fell right through the branches and landed inside the castle. Her head smacked against the marble floor with a thud. "Ow," she moaned and propped herself up on her elbows. She was in the computer room. It was completely empty, except for Sonya who was sitting at the computer. Slowly, Brianna rose to her feet.  
  
"Hi, Sonya," she said painfully. "Hello Brianna. Nice to see you come back from the labyrinth," she said in a tone that was bitterly sweet. Brianna found a chair and pulled it up alongside of Sonya. "Hey, um, can I talk to you?" Brianna asked her. "Sure," Sonya said, not taking her eyes away from the computer screen. "How did you get here?" Brianna asked her. "I originally went to Mortal Kombat on ship a few years ago. I managed to survive and now I'm here," she said simply.  
  
"But...didn't you miss your family and friends? I mean, you're from Earth, right? How were you able to cope?" Brianna asked, desperately. "I had no family or friends. I can't trust anyone, I never could."  
  
"You trust Johnny," Brianna protested. "Not fully. I'm just close to him, it doesn't mean I trust him," Sonya responded.  
  
"That's no way to go through life. Trusting only yourself can be pretty boring. You'd have no friends, no one to talk to, and masturbating can get pretty old pretty fast," Brianna tried to joke. Sonya, though didn't find it very funny and only stared at Brianna while she laughed.  
  
"Don't you miss Earth though?" Brianna asked her. "I did, but I soon realized that even though I trusted nobody, everyone had to trust me," she said. Sonya turned and looked at Brianna. "I know how much a new environment can upset someone. It must be especially hard on you because you had so many people back home that you cared about. But Brianna, you have to realize, you can't go back home. Even if you tried to escape, we'd come find you and bring you back here. You have to stay. You have no choice," Sonya tried to convince her.  
  
"You're making it sound like I made a deal with the fucking Mafia or something. I know I can't go...but how do I learn to stand it here?" Brianna asked her desperately.  
  
"Time," Sonya said, turning back to the computer. She worked typed for a few minutes and Brianna just thought about what she had to say. "Thank you for the outfit...Kitana told me you helped her make it," Brianna finally blurted out.  
  
"Well, Kitana did all the sewing, I just designed it," Sonya said modestly.  
  
"So how did everyone get here?" Brianna asked her. Sonya told her how her, Johnny and Liu were on the same ship to the Tournament. She told her about their stories and about Kitana being the cruel Emperor's stepdaughter.  
  
"What about Sub-Zero? How did he get here?" Brianna asked. "Sub-Zero? Now there's a story worth telling. Sub-Zero was in the clan of the Lin Kuei. They were a cruel group of skilled ninjas that only the most elite of people could be in. They were taught how to control an element, and were brainwashed into being unmerciful assassins. Sub-Zero, though, didn't like his lifestyle, and neither did his friend Smoke. They ran away from the Clan, but the Lin Kuei found the two in a cave. Sub-Zero managed to escape, but Smoke wasn't so lucky. They turned his friend into a robot and Sub-Zero continued to run and wander around until he found Rayden who brought him into the Forces of Light," Sonya finished.  
  
"But wait, I thought Scorpion came and killed Smoke," Brianna said, remembering her meditation session. "No, the Lin Kuei found Smoke, not Scorpion," Sonya said. "What's the deal with Sub-Zero's little spat with him, anyway?" Brianna inquired. "When Sub-Zero was still in the Lin Kuei, they attacked the Shirai Ryu. Sub had to kill a man by the alias of Scorpion. Now Scorpion is nothing but a specter that seeks revenge on Sub-Zero," Sonya answered.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Master, here is the information in which you seek," the timid servant presented a scroll tied with a piece of rope to his master. The man on the throne snatched the scroll from the boy's hand and untied the rope.  
  
"She is inexperienced," the Grandmaster said to his peers in a surprised tone. "She does hold the element of fire, correct?" the second Grandmaster asked. "Yes, she does. She is with the Forces of Light, for now. In order to obtain her we must have her kidnapped and brought to us," the first Grandmaster said, eyeing the piece of paper that he held in his hand. "An easier said than done task," the second Grandmaster said. "Then we must send our best. Sky will find this Inferna and bring her back to be the first female Lin Kuei warrior," the Grandmaster said.  
  
*~*~*~*~  
  
Smoke blocked a kick from his opponent. "C'mon, Sky, you gotta have more than that," Smoke taunted the light blue and black ninja that he was practicing with.  
  
"Shut up, Smoke, I'm kicking your ass!" Sky protested. He then threw some acid rain at Smoke's face. It narrowly missed him. Smoke retaliated by emitting some of his name throughout the training room. Through the smoke, a cyborg walked into the room and coughed mechanically. Smoke immediately dismissed his power and was not surprised to see Sektor standing there impatiently.  
  
"Sky, the Grandmasters wish to see you. Immediately," Sektor said addressing the warrior that stood before him. "At once," Sky said, bowing. He mouthed the word `bye' to Smoke and followed after Sektor who had already started on his way to the great throne room.  
  
"Sky, you have been assigned a mission," the first Grandmaster said as he saw Sky enter and bow before him and the other two Grandmasters. "What is your bidding, sire?" Sky asked respectfully.  
  
"You are to go into the Forces of Light's headquarters. There you will find the infamous Inferna and bring her back here with you where she will bring great power to the Lin Kuei. Do you understand?" the third Grandmaster told the warrior beneath him. "I do," Sky answered.  
  
"Good, you will leave now," the Grandmaster instructed. Sky bowed and left the throne room and made his way to the Portal that would take him to his destination. 


	14. Part 14

Chapter 14  
  
"It's pretty late. You should get to bed," Sonya said, checking her watch. "Yeah, I guess so. What about you?" Brianna asked her quizzically. "Oh, I'm a night owl," Sonya gave a forced smile. Brianna returned with a friendlier one. "Good night," she called as she walked to her room.  
  
Brianna walked along at a medium pace. There weren't any sounds except for the crackling of the fire that came from the hung torches. Soon she came to the bridge that she never could stand crossing. Things were very quiet, 'Too quiet', she thought. She stopped and listened for a sound. There was a pause, and then Brianna thought she heard the slightest sound of a footstep. When she heard this sound, she ran as fast as she could into Sub-Zero's room.  
  
"SUBBY, SUBBY, SOME ONE'S CHASING ME!!!!!!" she screamed when she busted open the door. Sub-Zero's face became concerned. "Who?" he asked getting up and walking over to her. "I don't know. I was too scared to look back," she confessed.  
  
Sub-Zero walked up to her and absently put an arm around her shoulders. He walked to the door and stuck his head out. He looked around, but didn't see anyone. "No one's there," he said skeptically.  
  
"I'm sorry, Subby. It was probably just my mind playing tricks on me. I'm sorry to bother you," Brianna said sheepishly. "Don't worry about it. I know this place can get pretty creepy at night. Now you just rest your pretty little head and I'll see you in the morning," he smiled. Brianna smiled back. "Goodnight Subby," she said and walked into her own room.  
  
Sighing, Brianna kicked her shoes off and was about to take her shirt off when she was grabbed from behind and lifted. Hand was over her mouth and another hand pulled her head back by her bangs. "Shhh. Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you, okay?" Sky's voice tried to be as soothing as possible. Brianna looked up at him and noticed that he was wearing the same thing as Sub-Zero, only dark blue.  
  
"SCORPION!" she screamed from under the hand. "What? Scorpion? I'm not a Shirai Ryu. Now come on, I'm taking you to Headquarters," Sky said.  
  
"Can you take your hand off my mouth?" Brianna asked, after it had taken her a second to calm down. "What?" Sky asked her. Brianna coughed a bit of fire onto his hand, making him take it away from her mouth immediately.  
  
"Ow! So you are Inferna?" Sky asked. "Who are you with?" Brianna asked, trying to sound harsh. "I am here to take you back to Lin Kuei headquarters," Sky answered.  
  
"Lin Kuei? Isn't that the club that Subby used to be in?" Brianna inquired. "Sub-Zero? You know him? Where is he?" Sky asked frantically. Brianna regretted mentioning her friend's name to the ninja before her.  
  
"Oh no, I don't know him. I've just heard of him. But anyway, back to this Lin Kuei thing. Why do you want me to go?" Brianna asked. "Inferna, there is no time to explain. When we get there, you will be told everything, I promise," Sky said, pushing Brianna out the door. "Okay," Brianna said and walked outside with Sky. A door that led into a great, swirling blue light appeared in front of them. Sky grabbed Brianna and pulled her in with him.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Brianna was led into a room that was filled with male ninjas that wore the same exact thing that Sub-Zero had worn, only with different colors and these people wore masks that matched. She was led to the front of the room where 3 old men sat on thrones and had welcoming faces.  
  
"Inferna, welcome to the Lin Kuei headquarters," the first Grandmaster said brightly. Everyone was staring at her, as if they were expecting her to do something. "Sup?" she nodded to the three men. The ninjas looked at eachother and a hushed whisper was heard through the room. Brianna looked around, confused. Then, as if a light bulb had gone on above her head, she curtsied. "Sorry 'bout that," she smiled.  
  
"Uh, yes, of course. Inferna, the Lin Kuei welcome you as the newest member of our Clan. First you must show us that it truly is you, show us your power," the second Grandmaster said. "Oh, my fire thing. Sure, no sweat," she smiled. "What do you want me to torch?" she asked politely. The Grandmasters looked past her and to the back of the room. The crowd stepped away to show that a man was standing on the other side of the room. He, too, was dressed like the others and wore orange and black. His eyes though were full of fear and shame.  
  
"You want me to light him up?" Brianna asked the Grandmaster, shocked. "Just do it," came a voice from the crowd that only Brianna heard. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a man look at her, notifying her that it was he who told her to do so. "Ok, fine," Brianna said regretfully. Looking down she reached her arm out and pointed her finger. From it came a line of inferno, setting her victim ablaze. He screamed and ran around for about 30 seconds until he finally became nothing but ashes at the end of the hallway.  
  
Brianna turned around and looked at the Grandmasters. They looked extremely pleased. "Welcome, Inferna, to the Lin Kuei. Sektor, show her to her chambers," the third Grandmaster beamed. The mechanical warrior bowed and took Brianna by the arm and led her to a very bare room. It consisted of a cot, a blanket, a pillow, a table, a stool and a candle with some matches. Roughly, Sektor through Brianna into the room.  
  
"Hey, take it easy. You'll never get your heart that way, Tinman," Brianna teased the robot. "What did you say to me?" Sektor asked harshly. "Nothing take it easy, Jesus."  
  
Sektor glared at her, then walked loudly down the hall. Brianna also noticed, though, that there was another cot, another table and stool, more matches and a candle that had been burned about halfway down. Tilting her head, Brianna looked at the other person's possessions.  
  
"I wonder who else is here?" she thought out loud. "That would be me," came a slightly familiar voice from behind her. Standing in the doorway was a man dressed in gray and black. "I am Smoke. I take it you are Inferna?" he asked with a bit of humor in his tone. Brianna smiled brightly at him. "No, my name isn't Inferna," she admitted.  
  
Smoke looked at her, very confused. "You're not Inferna?" he asked. "Oh no, I am Inferna, but that's not my real name," she told him. "Well of course it isn't your real name. You don't have a real name anymore," Smoke said.  
  
"Wait a minute. Are you Smoke?" Brianna asked the ninja. He nodded, a bit confused. "The Smoke?" she asked, realizing that the man before her was more than her new roommate. She ran passed him and closed the door. The only light was coming from the candles that burned from both of the tables. Brianna pulled up a stool and sat down.  
  
"Smoke, did you know Sub-Zero?" she asked, her eyes glowing red. "What about him?" Smoke asked bitterly. "You knew him! Sonya told me all about it! You and Sub-Zero tried to escape from the Lin Kuei, but they found you and Sub-Zero thought they killed you, but you're still alive," she said confused.  
  
"That's right. That backstabber Sub-Zero left me there to die while he cowered to wandering the Earth," Smoke said. "Smoke, you mustn't be so hostile about Sub-Zero. He misses you dearly," she said. "And how would you know?" Smoke asked the girl that sat below him.  
  
"Because, Subby is with the Forces of Light now. Before I came here I stayed with Rayden and the others for about 3 months. You were all Subby ever talked about. He even has a picture of you and him in his room. It's sad, really. Whenever he brings you up he gets all emotional and stuff, and then he'll talk about the Lin Kuei and get so pissed off," Brianna rambled on.  
  
"What? You mean he still lives?" Smoke asked her, shocked. "He's alive and well, trust me," Brianna smiled at Smoke. "He has betrayed me, though. I cannot forgive him for that," Smoke said sternly, causing her smile to fade.  
  
"But he misses you, and he feels really bad about leaving you. It was all just a big misunderstanding. Here, let me-"  
  
"Enough," Smoke said simply. "You need to go to the arena after you change," he said, and walked out of the room. Inferna sighed. "Well, if that other place I was at before wasn't a total hell hole, this is gonna be."  
  
  
  
THE END  
  
..or is it? If you're not satisfied with the ending, read the sequel, The Lin Kuei. Thanks for reading! 


End file.
